Nuclear Waste Inspection Conducted three controlled field studies of low-level Dry Active Waste sorting at two nuclear powerplants. Over 30,000 pieces of contaminated and noncontaminated trash were tracked unobtrusively as they passed by inspectors. "Hit" and "miss" rates were calculated, and recommendations for improving the accuracy of the sorting process were developed.

Substation Design Guide and Training Conducted a human factors engineering review of electric substations, developed an extensive design guide for engineers, and conducted a training course for a major public utility. Accident and outage databases were reviewed to identify event types; countermeasures to avoid outages were developed. The research results and products addressed control rooms, maintenance, and exterior transmission facilities.

Mobile MRI Coach Design Provided recommendations on the design and layout of mobile MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) trailers for a major coach manufacturer. Hospitals and MRI coaches were visited, MRI technicians were interviewed, and procedures were observed. Recommendations addressed various issues, including patient entry and egress, lines of sight, communication, privacy, workspace, and storage.

Automated Toll Provisioning System Implementation Conducted a major study of a 400-member telecommunications workforce to project the staffing levels required after introduction of a $20 million automated system, ConnectView ATP. Labor requirements for all departmental tasks were determined; impacts of automation were assessed. A mathematical model of departmental work and the impact of the automation was developed.

Nuclear Camera for medical Imaging Conducted a study to determine usability on a prototype nuclear camera. Twentyfour medical technologists were tested individually for two hours each and performed imaging tasks on a prototype and a current production machine. The results addressed controls, displays, safety and interlocks, scanning procedures, patient comfort, and patient handling. The results were used to further refine the prototype design.